Paulista Agriculture, 1899–1950

The growth of this powerful state government to 1930 would be crucial to the survival of São Paulo agriculture in the next half century. The secular growth of the coffee economy up to the end of the 19th century was spectacular. But the constant incorporation of ever more virgin lands into this coffee economy created problems of overproduction as the state alone produced more coffee than the world market could consume. The paulista planters had difficulty responding to these market signals and in the end required significant assistance from the new state government to control crop output. This direct intervention of both the state and federal governments in the coffee economy, defines paulista agriculture in the 20th century.